Throughout my years of practice I have seen many women come in with confusing symptoms that could not be attributed to a specific diagnosis and the common thread is that they were looking for solutions. They were often anxious about their physical appearance, sexual health, or the inability to conceive. That worry permeated their daily lives. It affected their personal and work relationships and their self-esteem. The symptoms not only affected their physical health and wellness but also disrupted their mental health. Oftentimes it manifested in anxiety, depression, and occasionally compulsive behaviors as they tried to “treat” themselves.
These women just wanted to be heard and understood but the conventional medical model prefers a “one size fits all” approach rather than addressing a woman’s individuality and presenting solutions to fit her specific needs. That is where a Naturopathic medical approach comes in, and it is comprehensive, individualized, and natural. Although there may be certain standardized methods, the focus is on a woman’s unique health and wellness journey.
The first step was to find the correct diagnosis, which in their case was Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, commonly known as the abbreviation PCOS. It is an oftentimes undiagnosed or unrecognized disorder that afflicts many women nowadays.
In fact, it affects 1 in 10 women! It is important to note that this diagnosis is not a life sentence and can be managed and overcome with the right treatment. There are many natural options to treat hormonal imbalances and specifically PCOS.
- Let’s talk about it….
- ???? Have you ever felt that your hormone balance was off but no one could tell you why?
- ???? Did your test results always come back as “normal” but deep down you knew that this was not the case?
- ???? Were you prescribed birth control pills like they were candy without consideration as to why you were experiencing irregular, heavy, or painful periods?
- ????Has infertility been a struggle but your gynecologist couldn’t tell you why?
- ????Have you felt tired and moody but it was just written off as PMS?
- ????Were you gaining weight despite your healthy lifestyle or having difficulty losing weight no matter what exercise and diet you tried to follow?
If you answered YES to any or all of these statements, there is a very high chance that you may have PCOS.
The Mayo Clinic defines PCOS as a “hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and fail to regularly release eggs.” Higher androgen levels, specifically testosterone, may interfere with or completely stop normal ovulation, which in turn can cause irregular periods, infertility, and development of ovarian cysts for many, but not all women with PCOS. These bubble-like cysts form on the surface of one or both of the ovaries and this becomes problematic since the eggs partially mature, but do not get released during what would normally be ovulation, which would in turn lead to menstruation. A woman with PCOS may have 25 or more cysts on a single ovary, which is a truly unbelievable number when you think about it. This is complicated by the fact that these cysts are usually silent, without any noticeable symptoms, except occasional pelvic pain. Usually the cysts are only discovered on a pelvic ultrasound.
- Although the exact cause of PCOS is undetermined, the symptoms and repercussions are clear. When diagnosed and addressed early, the risk of long-term complications, which may include serious hormonal imbalance, as well as diabetes and heart disease, is greatly reduced
Common symptoms of PCOS include:
- ✔️ Irregular or missed periods
- ✔️ Ovarian cysts (not in every case of PCOS)
- ✔️ Weight gain and/or trouble losing weight
- ✔️ Trouble conceiving or infertility
- ✔️ Excessive body hair growth
- ✔️ Male pattern baldness and/or thinning hair
- ✔️ Low sex drive
- ✔️ High testosterone levels
- ✔️ Insulin resistance
- ✔️ Fatigue
- ✔️ Acne
- ✔️ Mood changes
Naturopathic Approaches to PCOS include:
???? Dietary Modification
???? Lifestyle Changes
???? Specialty Testing
???? Supplementation
I have developed a Five Phase Naturopathic Program for PCOS Management that includes the above mentioned approaches. The foundation of my program will be REDEFINING PCOS. Instead of PCOS being defined by the symptoms and negative health outcomes that drastically affect a woman’s life for the worse, I propose shifting the paradigm and designating the abbreviation of PCOS to stand for the following:
- Positive
- Change
- Over
- Suffering
- PCOS does not have to define you, but rather YOU define PCOS!
- Stay tuned for more specific treatment approaches as well as information on my Naturopathic PCOS Program.